Over the past few years, contact established by people with each other over the Internet has increased tremendously. In particular, Instant Messaging (IM), which permits people to communicate with each other over the Internet in real time, has become increasingly popular. More recently, Instant Messaging also permits users to communicate not only using text alone, but also using audio, still pictures, video, etc.
Several IM programs are currently available, such as America OnLine Instant Messenger (AIM) from America Online, Inc. (Dulles, Va.), MSN® Messenger from Microsoft Corporation (Redmond, Wash.), and Yahoo!® Instant Messenger from Yahoo! Inc. (Sunnyvale, Calif.).
These IM services have varied user interfaces. However, most of them work in the same basic manner. Each user chooses a unique user ID (the uniqueness of which is checked by the IM service), as well as a password. The user can then log on from any machine (on which the corresponding IM program is downloaded) by using his/her user ID and password. Conventionally, the IM services therefore are associated with, and “follow” from location to location, an individual (i.e., human) user. Thus, currently, if the user has a certain device connected to a specific personal computer (PC), he cannot control that device when he logs onto an IM service from a remote location. For instance, currently, if a user has a webcam connected to his home PC, he cannot control that webcam when he logs on to an IM service from his office PC. This is because currently, it is the human that has the IM presence, rather than any device. So while devices (e.g., cell phones, laptops, etc.) can be used by an IM user to log on to IM services, the devices themselves do not have a unique IM presence.
Some attempts have been made at communicating with various devices. The upcoming concept of the “Connected Home” is an example of such an attempt, where various household appliances etc. can be controlled remotely. Such communication may take place over the phone, over the web, etc. In such cases, the user of the device needs to initiate any communication with the devices. In such examples, the devices do not have independent identities as IM users, which can initiate sending IM messages to users.
Some attempts have also been made at automating instant messaging. One example of this is SmarterChild, which is an interactive agent built by ActiveBuddy, Inc. (Such interactive agents are software applications, often called “bots,” some of which interact with users on Instant Messaging.) Communication with SmarterChild can provide answers to questions such as when a certain band is playing, or what the weather is like, etc. However, SmarterChild is a “service-based” bot, and does not provide communication with any physical device which the user may want to control, or hear from.
Thus there is a need for a system and method where a device can be assigned a unique user login, and can “log on” as an IM user. Further, there is need for a system and method where users can communicate bi-directionally with such devices.